[FAQ]

Hey everyone,

I’m currently revamping my LinkedIn profile to make it more effective for networking and potential job opportunities. I want to make sure my headline and my “About” summary are as strong as they can possibly be.

I’d love some advice on the common mistakes people make in these specific sections. What are the things that might make a profile look unprofessional or hurt its visibility in searches? I’m thinking about things like using too many buzzwords, being too vague, or maybe forgetting to include a call to action.

Any tips on what not to do would be super helpful. Thanks!

[Jeff Bullas]

Your LinkedIn headline and “About” section are two of the most important parts of your professional profile. Avoiding a few common mistakes in these areas can significantly improve how you are perceived by recruiters, clients, and colleagues.

First, let us look at the Headline. A very common mistake is to use only your current job title and company. For example, simply having “Marketing Manager at ABC Company.” This is a missed opportunity. Your headline should be a concise summary of your value proposition. It is far more effective to include keywords that describe your expertise, such as “Marketing Manager | B2B Content Strategy & Demand Generation | SaaS Technology.” This is more descriptive and makes you more discoverable in searches. Another error to avoid here is filling it with vague buzzwords like “visionary,” “guru,” or “ninja.” These terms are often meaningless to recruiters and can appear unprofessional. Focus on concrete skills and what you do.

Next, for the “About” Section, which is your summary. A frequent mistake is writing it in the third person. Your “About” section should almost always be written in the first person, using “I” and “my,” to create a more personal and engaging connection with the reader.

Another significant pitfall is simply listing your job duties as you would on a formal resume. Instead, you should use this space to tell your professional story. Briefly explain who you help, what problems you solve, and what you are passionate about in your work. It is also highly effective to highlight one or two key achievements with quantifiable results where possible.

A third mistake is making it a dense, unreadable block of text. You should always break up your summary into short paragraphs with white space in between to make it much easier to read and scan.

Finally, a very common omission is failing to include a clear call to action at the end. Tell the reader what you want them to do next. This could be an invitation to connect, a link to your professional website or portfolio, or an invitation to send you a message regarding specific opportunities. You can also list your key areas of expertise at the end to reinforce keywords.

The overarching mistake for both sections is not optimising for relevant keywords. Think about the terms a recruiter or a potential client would use to search for someone with your skill set, and ensure those terms are naturally integrated into both your headline and your “About” section.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

Posts